Press Releases
The Bootlegger’s
Society
A consortium of Durango’s
four award-winning Craft Breweries
For Immediate Release: July
1, 2010
For Further Information,
contact: Dave Thibodeau, Ska Brewing Co., 970.247.5792 x12 OR
Brian McEachron, Steamworks
Brewing Co., 970.799.3481
DURANGO,
Colo. - The Bootlegger’s Society, the local consortium of Durango’s
four award-winning craft brewers, has established the Durango Bootlegger’s
Society Fund under the auspices of the Community Foundation of Southwest
Colorado.
The affiliation with the Community Foundation will allow the breweries to
collectively donate funds to non-profits as well as organize fundraising
events and obtain a liquor license (needed for beer-related events)
through the Foundation. Independent donations made directly to the Bootlegger’s
Fund will also be tax-deductible.
“This is a unique situation that helps to cement our philanthropic footprint
in Southwest Colorado,” said Dave Thibodeau, chair of the Bootlegger’s
new fund advisory board and co-founder of Ska Brewing Co. “I feel
it can become a model for other small breweries/businesses to emulate
in other communities across the country.”
Ska, Steamworks Brewing Co., Carver Brewing Co. and Durango Brewing Co. originally came together as the Bootlegger’s Society with a mission to raise
the awareness and understanding of craft beer by rallying around the
needs of the community.
“Our first event was the ‘Pint for Pint’ blood drive back in 2003,”
said Brian McEachron, co-founder, Steamworks Brewing Co. “Blood was
running short and workers were having little success securing donations.
It didn’t take long for us to conspire and decide a little friendly
competition might help raise awareness. We all asked our patrons to donate
a pint of blood and, in return, we offered them a pint of beer at their
brewery of choice.”
The “Pint for Pint” blood drive has since emerged as a “best practice”
and been modeled by blood services organizations throughout the country,
according to McEachron. The Bootleggers also received national recognition
for each brewery committing to 100 percent Green Power, or purchase
of electricity from a renewable resource, as well as implementing a
number of “green” practices within their brewing operations.
The Bootlegger’s Society Fund was established with an initial $1,000 generated
from the Spring Tonic event held at Carver’s. Upcoming events designed
to help increase the fund include Oktoberfest, Ska’s 15th
Anniversary Celebration and all four “Evenings on 8th”
events held each Wednesday in September, 4-8 p.m. in Downtown Durango.
“Collectively we’ve always had a desire to help out the people of our communities
who have always supported us,” said Thibodeau. “Establishing the
Bootlegger’s Society Fund will make it that much easier for us to
do so.”
For further information regarding the Community Foundation of Southwest
Colorado, or to contribute to the Bootlegger’s Society Fund on-line,
visit www.swcommunityfoundation.org.
# # #
The North American Brewers Association TM (NABA) is a non-profit foundation. The NABA mission is to secure beer's role in our culture and society through the advancement of brewing quality and consumer education.
The North American Brewers Association TM was founded in late 1996. Since that date, NABA has undertaken the organizational development of corporate policies, procedures, memberships, as well as the sanctioning of beer awards, beer festivals, and a beer judging and evaluation course. NABA has over 40 members.
NABA holds an annual, prestigious brewing competition. Judges at the annual NABA sanctioned beer awards include brew masters from major national breweries as well as experts from small, independent breweries. Also judging are beer journalists and certified judges. Evaluation and judging of beers are conducted in sessions which lead to the award of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Since 1997, hundreds of competitors have participated.
Judging is performed in a blind format competition with beers poured in a separate room and provided to the judges in style flights. Judging in teams of four, minimum, the judges rank order the top three beers.
All proceeds from the Competition are directed to charity as per the foundation's charter.
For additional information on membership, sanctioning, beer awards, judging and upcoming events, contact info@northamericanbrewers.org
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